Weigh In on Global Patent Application Forms
Published Date: 11/21/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is asking for your thoughts on renewing a form related to the Patent Cooperation Treaty, which helps inventors apply for patents internationally. This update won’t cost you extra money but aims to keep paperwork simple and clear. You’ve got 30 days from November 21, 2025, to share your comments and help shape the process!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
PCT Form Renewal Keeps Filing Requirements
If you file international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the USPTO is renewing the information collection (OMB Control Number 0651-0021). The renewal covers private-sector filers with an estimated 412,493 respondents and responses, takes between 0.25 and 4 hours per response, totals 343,739 annual burden hours, and carries an estimated $452,878,858 in annual non-hourly costs. Responding is required to obtain or retain patent-processing benefits under the treaty.
Mailing Cost Increase for PCT Submissions
If you mail PCT submissions, the postage estimate used by the USPTO rose from $10.40 to $11.20 for the Priority Mail legal flat rate envelope. That change increased the estimated postage costs from $42,900 to $46,200 and added $3,300 to the total annual non-hourly cost burden.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
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2026-17525, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the Trademark Application
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter "USPTO" or "Agency"), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-0054 (Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the Trademark Application). The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comments preceding submission of the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
2026-17524, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Appeals
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter "USPTO" or "Agency") will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. The USPTO invites comments on the information collection renewal of 0651-0063, which helps the USPTO assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden to the public. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on April 20, 2026, during a 60-day comment period (91 FR 20986). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
2026-16744, Request for Comments on Community Outreach Office Locations in the Southwest States
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2026-16315, Administrative Updates to the General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration To Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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